on August 19th, 2013

19

Aug

The Tangerine Speedo, one of many cocktails available at Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas

by Becky Sauer

If a tropical retreat is not in your near future, you can still pretend you’re in paradise with help from the new cocktail book “Liquid Vacation: 77 Refreshing Tropical Drinks from Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas.”

The recipes for the drinks served at this desert oasis in Las Vegas were previously top-secret, but Frankie’s Tiki Room proprietor P. Moss convinced co-founder Chris Andrasfay and bartenders Allison Hartling and Mike Richardson to spill the secrets of their potent Polynesian-inspired potions. At an event at Chaya Brasserie in Los Angeles celebrating the book’s release, Moss told us he wasn’t met with too much resistance from these mixologists, as they have plenty more up their sleeves….

We sampled one of the cocktails from the book — the cheekily named Tangerine Speedo — and were pleased with how the bitterness of the Campari tempered the sweet liqueurs and fruit juices. P. Moss was kind enough to share the recipe with us, but be careful as it’s published in the book along with this warning: “Downing one of these zesty refreshers will give you the courage to wear the Speedo. Drinking two will make you want to go commando.”

Tangerine Speedo

1 ounce Depaz amber rhum

¼ ounce Campari

¼ ounce crème de cassis

½ ounce Chambord

½ ounce lime juice

1 ounce pear nectar

1 ounce orange juice

2 ounces club soda

Build over ice in a 14 ounce double old fashioned glass, then pour contents into a cocktail shaker.